The Portland daily press., 1887-12-03
THE MAINE STATE PRESS.
BENEDICT ARNOLD.
His Career on the Eastern Boundary
of Maine..

OF Maine.-
NV. H. Kilby in Bangor Historical Magazine.l
Among the curiosities on exhibition at the
Centennial celebration of the town Of Dem
nysville, Me-, May II. 1776, was an account
book kept by Col. John Allan, when just af-
ter the Revolution he was engaged in trade
on the island in Eastport harbor, which af-
forwards was known by his name, and
where monument erected by his descend
ants marks the place of his burial. To this
island he gave the name Of Dudley, in COM
pliment to his friend, Paul Dudley Sargent,
whose family history recently appeared in
this magazine, and that is the name which it
bears in the treaty between the United
States and Great Britain in settling the
Eastern Boundary line. On one page of
Allan's account book appears an entry Ben
edict Arnold one gall. rum, and there are
charges to him for lumber, and other articles.
Knowing the antecedent history of Arnold,
and the way he was hated and despised by
our fathers as traitor, there Is something
uncanny in the picture OF his fitting about
the borders of a nation whose birth he at
tempted to strangle in unprincipled ways,
and in reading the record CO these small
business transactions, one cannot help con-
trasting the buyer and the seller. Arnold's
story Is well known. John Allan was born
in Edinburg, Scotland, emigrated with his
fathers family to Nova Scotia in early man
hood became active In public affairs, and at
the breaking out of our Revolution, was
member of the Provincial assembly, clerk of
courts for Cumberland county, and held
other offices. His sympathies were with the
American colonists in their struggle for in
dependence, and In connection with Col.
Ion hon, du NJ
ment among the settlers about the head of
the Bay of Fundy to aid the patriot cause.
He was absent on the American side of the
line when these plans came to a disastrous
termination, and was obliged to abandon his
property and withdraw his family as soon as
possible, though his wife was for some time
imprisoned at Halifax. He was appointed
Commander of the American forces in the
eastern section with headquarters at Ma
chias, and Superintendent OF Indian affairs,
and the exposed settlements of the eastern
frontier were greatly indebted to his good
management az maintaining friendly rela-
ATOMS with the native tribes for their free
dom from moleststion during the great
struggle, The close Of the. war left him
with small means, and though Congress sf-
forwards made him grant of land in Ohio,
neither he or his family ever profited by it.
Moving to Cudley island he engaged in trade,
when Arnold became one OF his customers.
Arnold had been rewarded for his treason
British army and large sum OF gold to cover
his.allleged looses for deserving the standard
Of his country. At the close of the war he
went to England and afterward recrossed
the ocean and settled at st. John, New
Brunswick, where for several years he was
engaged in trade ant navigation. In the
year 1887, the people of st. John having SUI
fered by several fires, undertook to raise by
subscription a sum for procuring two IRE
engines from London, and sinking number
..w.ks.
name of Benedict Arnold was affixed for ten
pounds, and no one gave larger sum.
The first ship built in the Province was
owned by him. She was named the Lord
st. John in June 1856. There were stories of
fraud connected with the way in which he
became owner and in fact, people about him
seemed to be quite ready to believe and re-
peat matters greatly to his discredit. In
1888 his store on Lower Cove was burned
under suspicious circumstances. His two
sons Henry and Richard, lodged there at the
time and it was freely said that the fire was
caused by design for the purpose of defraud-
ing the underwriters. Mason Hoyt, form
er partner of Arn0ld's publicly accused him
of burning his warehouse, and for this charge
a suit of SANDER was brought. The best
legal talent of the Province was employed on
both sides, and the jury rendered verdict
in Arn0ld's favor for two "shillings and
sixpence," just fifty cents" Two genera
alist from the State of New York, who was
one of the original settlers of st. John, kept
the old Quoddy House at Eastport and used
to tell hard stories about Arnold whom he
thoroughly disliked. On one occasion he
sold Arnold a quantity of wood; but not
being paid for and taken away according to
agreement he sold it second time, but just
as the second purchaser was beginning TO
haul 1t off, Arnold appeared and a quarrel
ens1ed. In the affray Pineo caught stick
G.rs 4. L. ..AA 20 ha
traitors head but some of the by-standers in
terfered. "But for this" Pineo used fire.
quently to assert, II would not have left
whole bone in his skin" Before the great
fire Of 1877, visitors at st. John used to have
pointed out to them the house which he built
on King street and set of twelve chairs
which he brought from England and
sold to the first Judge Chapman on leaving,
were well known as the traitors chairs"
and were destroyed in the same fire.
While at ST. John, Arnold loaded vessels
with timber at Campobello, opposite East
port, and made his headquarters at Snug
Cove, and it must have been at this time that
he had dealings with Col. Allan. Capt. John
Shackford, who was one of the original set
tiers of EastpOrt, served as a soldier under
Arnold in that terrible march through the
Maine wilderness to the walls OF Quebec, and
in spite of the want of sympathy which such
staunch patriot would have for such
traitor he always retained kindly remem-
DIduft VI ulnl OHce With AIuOiu WAC lodu-
ing ship at Campobello, he sent to Moose
Island for men to help in the work, and
Shackford was among those who went over
for that purpose, and he used to relate that
when at rest after his meals he frequently
seated himself on the deck of the snip to
watch the movements Of his old commander
for whose courage and military skill he still
retained his former admiration. Tears"
he said, sometimes came, and could not
help myself, he carried us through everything,
a n hoIt f,,l-f rAf bs,
was them" 1t is not remembered that he
made himself known to Arnold, who soon
after went from the neighborhood and re-
moving from St. John to London. died there